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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. key — for a lock
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. vault — a safe
  8. key — in music
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. staff — employees
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. ball — a great time
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rule — a law
  18. staff — a stick
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ball — a dance
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. staff — employees
  23. hand — in cards
  24. key — the most important part

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com